


Fragrance

by Neroavan



Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Alternate Universe, Coach!Bokuto, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Mutual Pining, Perfumer!Akaashi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-16
Updated: 2017-08-16
Packaged: 2018-12-16 04:57:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,565
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11821698
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Neroavan/pseuds/Neroavan
Summary: “You seriously didn’t get his name?” said Kuroo, stifling his laughter.Bokuto remembered alotabout the stranger, but he forgot hisname.And so with the help of the cologne left behind by the stranger, Bokuto searches for him.





	Fragrance

Bokuto Koutarou is not a man fond of many fragrances.

He likes cool manly scents, like something minty.

He didn’t expect to like the fragrance of the cologne accidentally left by somebody from a one-night stand.

It smelled of wildflowers, like the ones Bokuto used to pick for fun whenever he visited Miyagi to see Hinata, his disciple.

(Well, they’re ones you can find just anywhere, but Bokuto liked the air in Miyagi the most and the scent of wildflowers tend to be mixed with it.)

Kuroo peered over Bokuto’s shoulder as Bokuto held the unlabeled bottle gingerly.

“You seriously didn’t get his name?” said Kuroo, stifling his laughter.

Bokuto wasn’t in the mood to retort — he never got into it the past few days.

He could remember a _lot_ about that stranger. Slightly curly black hair, beautiful gray eyes, and a pretty face that would never form an expression without a good reason.

Bokuto could remember the lean muscle being held in his hands, the flush of his partner’s pale skin, the hands — long fingers and well-kept nails — clawing at Bokuto’s back as he pounded hard into him, and the taste of him that lingered on Bokuto’s tongue the morning after.

Fuck, Bokuto remembered a _lot_ about him, but he forgot his _name_.

It wasn’t like what Kuroo was saying. Bokuto knew he definitely got some part of the beautiful stranger’s name — hell, he even remembered saying his _full name_ to the guy.

Bokuto had a good reason. The guy was fucking pretty, fucking nice, fucking _amazing._

They spent an amazing night together, and they were both too exhausted to go home after the session so they decided to sleep together for the night. But when Bokuto woke up, all that was left was the bottle of cologne on the bedside table, and the stranger’s chain necklace with a bottle pendant — a cologne bottle.

(Bokuto didn’t find any clue related to the stranger with the necklace, so he opted to simply keep and return to the bar to try and find him.)

(He didn’t.)

He wanted to get the guy’s number when they woke up, maybe even treat him to breakfast (Bokuto was _not_ completely broke that night) and maybe even plan a second meeting.

The stranger’s unexpected leaving left Bokuto heartbroken. Not even a single goodbye, nor note.

He went home in low spirits. Even Kuroo felt so much pity for him he didn’t make fun of Bokuto when Kuroo saw him.

Kuroo rubbed soothing circles on his best friend’s back. “Look bro, if you’re really meant to be you’ll see the guy again. Don’t give up. Go to the bar every night if you can.”

“But _Kuroooooo_ , I don’t have enough money to have a reason to go there every night. You’re supposed to get a drink in a bar right? I’ll look stupid if I just wait for him without ordering a single drink.”

Kuroo sighed. “Fine. I’ll lend you money. But don’t tell Kenma,” he whispered, glancing at his boyfriend sitting across them.

“Kuro, I heard you,” said Kenma, not looking up from his laptop. “However, if meeting the mystery man will help conserve silence here, then I’ll lend Bokuto money.”

Bokuto sniffled. “You will?” Kenma nodded. “Thank you so much!” Bokuto lunged to hug him, Kenma using his trained reflexes (he had to deal with Bokuto ever since Kuroo met him, which was in their first year of high school) and jumped out of the way. Kuroo latched himself onto Bokuto and held him back.

“Bo, I appreciate that you appreciate Kenma’s help, but you ain’t glomping him without my permission,” said Kuroo, snickering.

“You _do_ know he can easily overpower you without problem right?” said Kenma, though there was a hint of pink on his cheeks. “One look comparing your physiques and the winner can be easily known.”

“Kenmaaaa, defend your man sometimes!” whined Kuroo. “But I won’t deny Bo’s beefy as fuck. You said pretty guy picked you up?”

Bokuto nodded.

“Then he made the right choice!”

“’Beefiness’ is not the exact definition of attractive,” said Kenma. “If it was, then I would be dating Bokuto instead of you.”

(Bokuto didn’t know if he was hallucinating or not, but he thought Kenma silently added, “But I will never date him since he’s so high maintenance.”)

Kuroo scratched his chin, trying to go for the thinking look but his Cheshire grin gave him away. “I’m very thankful ‘beefiness’ isn’t the definition of attractive. I wouldn’t have bagged Kenma then.”

Bokuto started cringing at his best friends actions. “Look bro, I love you and all,” (“Aww Bo I love you too but I love Kenma more”) “but you’re too cheesy right now.” (“Bo I take it back.”) (“He’s right Kuro.”)

“Bokuto, I know I said I’ll be lending you money, but I can’t lend you too much. Also, you’ll have to pay me back,” said Kenma, fishing some bills out of his wallet and handing them to Bokuto. “You’ll have to control yourself.”

Bokuto grasped the bills tightly, like they were something important. “I will.”

“Good.”

 

* * *

 

Bokuto did as he was instructed. He went to the bar every night and simply ordered whiskey on the rocks (the cheapest thing he liked). He kept up with it for nearly two months that the bartender became his friend — Konoha Akinori, as he introduced himself (“We’re always seeing each other every night so why don’t we become friends already?”).

Also, he sprayed himself with a little of the stranger’s cologne, hoping to be recognized at least through scent. He wore the chain necklace in case the stranger didn’t remember the scent.

Bokuto walked into the bar for the nth time (57th? 58th?) and Konoha served him another whiskey on the rocks without Bokuto having to utter another word.

“The guy you’re looking for hasn’t come back it seems,” said Konoha. “I did some asking around with the other bartenders and they said they haven’t seen somebody like that.”

“Oh,” said Bokuto, his spirits dropping. “I see.”

His spirits dropped even more when he walked out of the bar — it was already around two am and he had to show up for morning practice at eight because he was a university volleyball coach — without seeing the mystery guy.

That to be said, Bokuto couldn’t remember his face properly anymore.

It had been so long since he last saw him that Bokuto’s memories of him were slowly leaving him.

Now, all he could remember was that he had a pretty face and beautiful gray eyes. He couldn’t remember anything else anymore.

Shame, since Bokuto was also running out of the cologne and he would like to have more too.

 

* * *

 

Bokuto walked into the fragrances section of the department store, hoping to see Shirofuku — the saleslady that came to know him — once more. Sure enough, she was there, waiting for him for his daily lunch time appointment.

(He could only go there during lunch time. Afternoon was a no-go since he was a nice coach and he guided his students well.)

“Hey hey hey, Shirofuku!” said Bokuto, waving at her.

The brightness in Shirofuku’s smile faded and got replaced by sadness.

“Oh, Bokuto,” she said (no honorifics anymore since they ended up being friends, like Konoha). “There’s still no cologne of the same make as yours. I asked around and had other people smell it, but there’s still none like it. Are  you sure that can be bought in stores?”

“I-I don’t know,” said Bokuto, hunching his shoulders. “Thanks for the info, like always.”

“Sorry. But if it’ll make you better, then I’ll tell you this. That fragrance’s unique and there’s only one in the world: yours.”

Bokuto left the store with a tiny smile.

 

* * *

 

Bokuto repeated everything like a ritual. But he was really starting to lose hope.

Kuroo and Kenma offered him consolation, but while he knew they meant well, they couldn’t get his hopes up anymore.

Konoha started recommending drinks to Bokuto — on the house he said, and the fact he only recommended one every three or four days added credibility — but without getting even a mere glimpse of the stranger, he couldn’t taste them that well.

There was a significant drop of cheerfulness when greeting Shirofuku.

The third month of not seeing the pretty stranger ended with having only a few drops of cologne left.

Bokuto debated on whether to use it or not, since he really really liked the smell and wanted to get identified with it. But if he didn’t use it, the stranger might not remember him. Bokuto himself could only remember gray eyes now.

Nothing more.

It scared Bokuto, since he knew he was supposed to move on already and find another guy, but the memory of the stranger was just making him unable to.

It scared Bokuto, since he never knew how deeply ingrained into him was that stranger.

After all, how could he continue remembering him when it had been so long? Had there been a guy as memorable as him?

(He was really amazing.)

Bokuto didn’t know if he was going insane or obsessed over someone he couldn’t get.

(Bokuto knew he was different from other people, but it was in a good way. He didn’t want to become different because of something bad.)

“You’ve fallen pretty hard then, bro,” said Kuroo, pouring Bokuto a shot of vodka. Bokuto drank it with a wince.

“It’s weird, you see,” said Bokuto, groaning as he slouched on his best friend’s couch. He ran his hand through his gelled hair, his other hand fiddling idly with the pendant of his necklace. “I feel like I should move on, but something that reminds me of him pops up from nowhere and gives me hope.”

Kuroo’s brows scrunched up together. “Like what?”

“Remember that new fragrance commercial we saw on TV early this night? The one we laughed about ‘cuz it had the same name as me?”

“Yeah?”

“That’s one. Then there were some glimpses of the guy who made it, right?”

“Yeah, that one got nice eyes. Nice lips too, since the camera focused a lot on them. Maybe the guy’s lover’s called Koutarou too?”

“Probably,” said Bokuto, staring once more at the TV’s blank screen and turned it on.

Then he nearly dropped the remote.

Kuroo and Bokuto’s eyes widened. “Holy shit, it’s the same commercial and…”

“ _Kuroo!_ ” exclaimed Bokuto. “ _They’re his eyes!_ ”

Kuroo focused on Bokuto, swallowing thickly. “You can’t be serious, he can’t be Akaashi Keiji.”

Bokuto glared, but he was so fixated on the TV screen he couldn’t direct the glare to Kuroo.

(Bokuto paid no heed to details when he first saw the commercial, but now he was wallowing in self-pity and doubt he focused more.)

He bit his lower lip. “But Kuroo, they’re his eyes. I know he’s slowly fading out of my memory but I will _never_ forget his eyes.”

 

* * *

 

Bokuto bolted out of Kuroo’s apartment after that. He needed time to think alone.

Could it be possible? Was Akaashi Keiji really his mystery man?

He didn’t see Akaashi’s whole face on the commercial, but Bokuto was sure it wouldn’t really provide much help to his memory. The stranger’s face had completely faded from his memory, but his beautiful startling gray eyes were still there.

Bokuto remembered them looking at him half-lidded, glazed over with pleasure.

When they first met, those eyes seemed to peer directly into his soul and search his darkest secrets.

Those eyes were ones Bokuto would like to see once more, in person.

He went back to the bar, even though he knew perfectly he had work come dawn.

“You’re back already?” said Konoha, surprised with Bokuto’s entrance.

Bokuto nodded. He sat down on the stool right in front of Konoha, apologizing to the guy on his right for accidentally elbowing him. The guy paid him no heed.

Konoha passed him a glass of whiskey neat. Bokuto drank it in one shot and asked for something stronger.

“Are you serious?” said Konoha. It was uncommon for Bokuto to willingly order something different.

“Yeah,” said Bokuto, handing Konoha some bills. “Give me anything strong that they can cover.”

Konoha gave Bokuto several shots of vodka and his change. Bokuto frowned.

“This can handle more shots right? So give me more.”

“That’s bad for you.”

“I don’t care anymore.”

“You have work later.”

“I’ll call in sick.”

(The assistant coach and the students would understand.)

Konoha frowned at Bokuto. He was getting experienced in dealing with Bokuto’s emo mode already, but this emo mode is of a completely new level.

“Mystery guy still not showing up?” said Konoha, pushing one of the shot glasses he served earlier to Bokuto. He sent another one to the guy on Bokuto’s right, and a different shot to Bokuto’s left.

“Not yet,” said Bokuto, tipping back his second shot and wincing. He coughed. Konoha stretched over the counter and rubbed his back.

(Konoha was nice enough to put in some effort to help his customers when needed. “What do you mean by that? It’s my job!” Oops, Bokuto said it aloud.)

Bokuto fiddled with the shot glass in his hand and looked at it with blurry eyes. “First, Kuroo said I should go here every night to see if he comes back, then when I told him the guy from the cologne commercial reminds me of him, he told me I can’t get him.”

“Which cologne commercial?” said Konoha as he served another shot to the guy on Bokuto’s right.

“The _Koutarou_ one,” said Bokuto, and the guy to his right stood up.

“Bokuto-san?”

Bokuto’s head swung to his right. He assessed the man the best he could with blurry eyes and a slightly aching head.

The man was tall, but Bokuto was sure he was taller. The man had black hair, white skin (Bokuto wasn’t really sure with the lighting) and wide eyes.

Wide gray eyes.

Bokuto blinked and tried to clear his sight. He wanted to confirm if those gray eyes were the ones he was searching for.

(It’s not wrong to have hope, right?)

They were.

“Y-You’re the guy from the other night…” said Bokuto, shocked.

“Holy shit,” murmured Konoha. “Aren’t you Akaashi Keiji?”

Bokuto turned sharply to Konoha. “ _What?!_ ”

“He’s Akaashi Keiji, for fuck’s sake Bokuto! No wonder this Kuroo guy told you it’s impossible!” said Konoha, pointing at the man, now known as Akaashi Keiji.

“Excuse me?” said Akaashi, joining their conversation. “I… was actually looking for Bokuto-san.”

“Huh?!” exclaimed both Konoha and Bokuto.

 

* * *

 

Apparently, Akaashi was called by a friend to come back as fast as he could, so Akaashi had to leave without saying goodbye to Bokuto.

(“Bokuto-san, you were so deep in sleep you wouldn’t budge.”)

In his haste, he accidentally left the prototype for his new fragrance on the bedside table and his chain necklace. Akaashi was studying the prototype as he was still stumped on how to get the right combination and he forgot it when he put on his clothes in a hurry. The necklace ended up with the same fate as Akaashi didn’t spare a glance at the table.

Akaashi wanted to leave Bokuto something, like his number or his name since he knew Bokuto was quite tipsy during the night.

(Akaashi wanted to be remembered.)

Bokuto’s face flushed. He hoped the lighting would help hide it.

(Akaashi chuckled softly, so maybe it didn’t help.)

“Bokuto-san, will you forgive me?” said Akaashi, with genuine feelings.

Bokuto forgot how to speak for a moment. Akaashi’s face was in a state of worry, as if Bokuto might not forgive him. Even like that, Bokuto found him attractive.

“Hey Bokuto, he’s asking you,” said Konoha, tapping Bokuto on the shoulder.

Bokuto gulped. Then he said, “Of course.”

Akaashi let out a sigh of relief and smiled at Bokuto.

Bokuto was left speechless again.

(Breathless too.)

(Also, he called in sick for work for a completely different reason.)

* * *

 

“So bro, meet my new boyfriend, Akaashi!” said Bokuto proudly, hands presenting Akaashi in the proudest way possible.

(With all the exaggerated motions and stuff. ‘Akaashi only deserves the best,’ Bokuto would say.)

Kuroo’s jaw nearly hit the ground, and Kenma’s eyes widened (the most Bokuto had ever seen in his lifetime knowing Kenma).

“Bro, you can’t be serious!” said Kuroo, looking at Bokuto while pointing at Akaashi. “He’s supposed to be unattainable!”

“I’m not unattainable,” said Akaashi, matter-of-fact. Bokuto nodded seriously.

“I attained him, Kuroo,” said Bokuto in the most serious voice he could muster. Kuroo looked at him flatly.

Then he sighed. “Alright, you got him. But Akaashi-kun,” Kuroo looked at Akaashi, “why did you disappear on my bro for three months?”

Akaashi smiled awkwardly. “I was in Miyagi those three months. We have a perfume laboratory there. I completed the new fragrance there too.”

“Huh,” said Kuroo. He then took the bottle of cologne — _Koutarou_ —  next to Akaashi and sprayed some of it on his wrist. He sniffed it. “You know, this one really reminds me a lot of Bokuto. Weird but good combination of wildflowers and mint. That’s the reason why it’s called _Koutarou_?”

Akaashi nodded. “Precisely. Or is it too intimate to use a stranger’s first name?”

“Not really. If you used named it _Bokuto_ instead, then it’s easy to know who you based it on. Koutarou’s a common name,” said Kuroo.

“Sorry if Kuro is so annoying,” said Kenma. “He’s quite protective of his ‘bro’ and also a nerd.” (“Kenma!”)

“Ah, I see,” said Akaashi.

“He’s a chemist, so he’s a little bit fascinated by your job too,” said Kenma. “He’s a theoretical one, but he also likes how things combine to make ‘wonderful stuff’, like perfumes and colognes.”

“I am _not_ a nerd nor a little bit fascinated by his job,” retorted Kuroo, but Bokuto knew his best friend well so he knew he was really interested, even for _just_ a bit. “I just wanted to ensure Bo’s in good hands.”

“I am in good hands though?” said Bokuto, a little bit clueless.

(Akaashi was really nice and capable. Bokuto found out quickly after meeting him again.)

Kuroo sighed. “If you say so.” Then he turned to Akaashi, glaring at him, “If my bro gets hurt I’m hunting you down.”

“No problem. I will never hurt Bokuto-san,” said Akaashi with a confident smile.

Bokuto grinned.

“By the way, Akaashi-san,” said Kenma out of the blue, “since you’re also an aromachologist and based on how you named your latest cologne after Bokuto, don’t tell me you’re planning to make fragrances based on his moods?”

Akaashi got a little bit clueless there. “Yes?”

Kuroo sighed and patted Akaashi on the shoulder. Akaashi flinched at the sudden change in Kuroo’s attitude. “Beware, Akaashi. Bokuto Koutarou’s moods aren’t ones to be underestimated,” said Kuroo. Then he turned to Kenma. “I’ll bet he won’t be able to make one for all of them.”

“You leave me no choice but to bet on the opposite,” said Kenma, searching through his wallet and fishing out one thousand yen.

Kuroo did the same.

Then he looked at Akaashi with false seriousness. “If you can make a fragrance for each of Bo’s moods, I’ll deem you worthy of him.”

Bokuto could feel his relationship with Akaashi being dragged into a mess called ‘Asking for Kuroo’s Approval’.

“Did I get myself into something bad?” asked Akaashi, looking at Bokuto.

Bokuto turned away, embarrassed.

( _I’m sorry Akaashi, but even I myself know I have mood swings that are too random… Too many moods..._ )

 

* * *

 

“H-How are we supposed to judge this?” said Kuroo in awe as he stared at the new fragrance Akaashi had created. Should it fit Kuroo’s description of how his best friend’s moods, then it would be released as  a part of the _Koutarou_ fragrance collection.

“Simple. You smell it,” deadpanned Akaashi.

Kenma took the bottle and sprayed some of it on his wrist, then sniffed it. He looked at Akaashi.

“You have the potential to make one for all of them,” said Kenma. “This is the smell I think Bokuto-san’s emo mode would have.”

Kuroo grabbed Kenma’s wrist and sniffed it too. He gasped, before his face contorted into a wince. “You… it’s only two months yet you captured his emo mode perfectly already! I got that in like, half a year!”

“Bro, you hurt me!” sniffed Bokuto comically.

“Sorry bro, you’re just that hard,” deadpanned Kuroo.

“Anyways, it’s him, right?” said Akaashi, and both Kuroo and Kenma nodded.

“I’ll never question your prowess anymore, Akaashi,” said Kuroo. “And… well… I can kind of say, Bo’s really in good hands… since you figured him out so quickly.”

Akaashi smiled. “We’ve been trying to tell you that from the start, Kuroo-san.”

“Then will you leave our relationship alone?” said Bokuto, looking at Kuroo with great scrutiny.

Kuroo laughed awkwardly. “Yeah. Fine Whatever. Be official.”

“They’re already official,” said Kenma, gesturing to the chain necklaces Bokuto and Akaashi were wearing. “Besides Kuro, hand over the money.”

(Bokuto got Akaashi’s original one with the cologne bottle pendant. Akaashi got one with a volleyball pendant.)

Bokuto and Akaashi grinned at each other.

(They got together. Bokuto was relieved that he didn’t stop searching for Akaashi.)

And Bokuto swooped into a kiss, then nuzzled in Akaashi’s neck.

(Akaashi smelled like wildflowers and mint.)


End file.
